The present invention relates generally to lifting devices and, more particularly, to a device suitable for transferring paper rolls for loading and subsequent removal in the roll stand of a printing press. The invention is particularly useful for transferring paper rolls in a so-called community style web press in which a plurality of printing presses are arranged in a series and wherein the paper rolls are loaded at the bottom of the roll stands. Such community style web presses are widely used and are manufactured, for example, by the Goss Division of Rockwell Manufacturing Company, among others. In such a community style press array, loading is somewhat more difficult because the paper rolls are loaded in the bottom of the roll stand and the spacing between adjacent presses in the line is rather confined.
Heretofore, full paper rolls have been loaded in a roll stand simply by rolling the paper rolls on the floor and up a slight inclined ramp to enter the roll stand. This loading of full rolls is not extremely difficult because the mill stand roll shaft seat is at an elevation nearly the same as the vertical shaft height of a full paper roll. Loading problems occur, however, whenever it is necessary to load a partially spent roll, such as a half roll. In such cases, it is necessary to raise the roll shaft and roll ten inches or more for loading purposes. It has been necessary to use lifting aids, such as pry bars to move and lift the partial rolls into the roll stand. It is particularly difficult to enter and manipulate a paper roll for loading and unloading purposes in these bottom loading roll stand presses since overhead cranes cannot access such spaces. It is particularly burdensome and oftentimes dangerous for the print shop workers who must maneuver and lift the paper rolls into a loading position. A typical full paper roll may weigh in the 1,000-1,400 pound range while a partial roll may weigh 500-1,000 pounds, for example. Lower back and crushing type injuries are not at all uncommon. A variety of injuries are also caused by slipping pry bars. Grease and oil sometimes accumulate beneath the roll stands which causes the tip of the pry bar to slip quite easily thus making this task even more difficult and injury prone.
The present invention solves the problems heretofore encountered in maneuvering and lifting paper rolls between adjacent press stations for transferring rolls in a community press operation. The present invention provides a wheeled roll transfer device which is capable of lifting a paper roll from the floor and moving the roll between adjacent presses for subsequent delivery of the roll to the roll stand of the printing press. This is accomplished without the need for any manual handling of the paper roll. In addition, the device of the invention is suitable for use in loading or removing a partially spent paper roll from the roll stand of the press in a like manner without the need for pry bars. The compact frame profile and articulation of the lifting arms provided by the device of the invention permits unrestricted movement into and from the confined space between adjacent presses.